As of October 1, 2013, Mexican Federal law now requires that all vehicles have insurance.

The changes to the law establish penalties and fines of between 20 – 40 days of minimum wage to drivers of vehicles who cannot show insurance protection. The policy shall ensure payment to third parties for any damages to goods or persons in case of accidents. The fine are canceled if insurance coverage is later proven within 45 days.

I am an insurance agent for Mexican auto insurance among other things and I don’t see where you have any advertising I can contract here. I have shared this article on my Facebook page. May I post my contact info here? I don’t want to offend but I can help!

This is now being quoted and spread on the internet despite the lack of documentation that these laws are in effect. Do not get me wrong, It could be true, these laws have been awaiting enactment for months. Insurance agents across the country would love for this to be true. With the modern internet someone can just post it and then it spreads, with no documentation.

It would seem short sighted to me to not have auto insurance…both as a foreigner and as a car owner, it makes sense both parties in the accidents have insurance..Seems to me, ex-pats sometimes come down here because they think it is the wild wild west all over again..its not. We’ve been coming down since 1988, bought in 2001 and there are have been huge changes in that time..helping the Mexicans advance, which is a wonderful thing, the Mexican middle class is growing and Mexico’s economy is expanding rapidly..My advice is buck up cover yourselves in your home and car as you would back in the states and enjoy this wonderful country we live in.

Hi cosumeldeb,
Your thoughts, feeling and comments are welcome and touching, displaying your love for Mexico and desire to positively interact. However, the title of this post is a non truth, otherwise known as a LIE. It would be nice if others coming down were not subject to such disinformation. So everyone now knows a quick way to determine if your Mexican insurance agent is lying to you. Insurance is indeed a good idea, but being aware of popular lies aimed at parting you from your money will prevent this from becoming the wild west.

Hi Tejana,
What a radical Wild Wild West thing it is to advise Americans and Canadians to get Mexican auto insurance protection, especially since the Mexican Govt. passed a federal law in April 2013, requiring that drivers have car insurance by Oct. 2013 to legally drive on Mexican federal highways and bridges.

Since you disagree, can you please give us documentation of the actual date that the law takes effect, and give us proof that it is not currently a requirement.

It is easy to accuse people of lying and to make hyperbolic statements about how telling people to get insurance is “wild west” rowdiness. Please back up your claims with documentation and references.

Drivers should know that in an accident when the police come, all drivers in the accident often go to jail indefinitely if they cannot prove – on the spot – that they have sufficient insurance coverage or sufficient $$ assets to pay all possible medical and property damage liabilities – even when the driver is not guilty.

Before anyone follows tejana’s advice, know that most Mexican jails provide NO food or water, and the drivers sit in Mexican jails with no food or water for days, unless you have proof of insurance, including proof of FISCAL BOND, and a good insurance adjustor at the accident site to keep you out of jail.

We apologize for quoting the April 2013 law, with its provision that all drivers must have insurance within 6 month (October 2013), to use the Federal highways.

We apologize for quoting the policies of major insurers who are ordered to tell clients that they must have insurance by Oct 2013.

We apologize for offering advice that has been known for 10 years, to get insurance in Mexico with fiscal bond coverage, to avoid sitting in Mexican jails indefinitely.

We really did go too far (as tejana says: “lying“) in offering advice to keep readers out of jail.

So, our readers do have options:
~ get insurance that keeps you out of jail in case of accidents,
or
~ call Tejana when you have an accident, and she will come and explain to the police that she thinks you do not need insurance.

Who do you choose, to give you aid & comfort? Tejana? or a reputable insurer? 😉

Many of us may have been innocently misinformed regarding the law requiring insurance, But there is a law regarding financial responsibility whereby anyone who causes property damage or bodily injury is responsible to pay for those damages. Most Americans and Canadians who drive in Mexico already do insure their vehicles because that’s what they do back home. As an insurance agent for years in Cabo San Lucas, I found that the police always found the “gringo” at fault and I asked an adjuster why they do that, even when it is obvious the other party was at fault, and he said in over 20 years as an adjuster he’d never seen the police find the uninsured Mexican driver at fault, because they knew that “gringos” always have insurance. I’m not saying that is always the case, I’m just saying that is what one adjuster told me.

We have had 2 different friends who were jailed after accidents, even with Mexican car insurance, because their policies did not have the appropriate specific protections, like the fiscal bond protection to stay out of jail or effective property damage coverage for hitting a fruit stand’s fridge….

This is why the generic car insurance that comes with US credit cards is not sufficient, especially when renting a car. It is also why generic Mexican auto policies are often not sufficient to keep the driver out of a few nights in jail.

Consider that tejana’s advice on hair-splitting is at best interesting, but not actually useful nor practical for people who actually visit or live in Mexico. 99 out of 100 people who know say: “Get good insurance.”
steve

I issued no advice about whether a person should purchase auto insurance. I am really trying to focus on whether Federal Mexican Law NOW requires all drivers/motorcycles to have insurance as of September 1st. I am glad that steve from yucalandia has qualified his remarks. I wish all happy trails and not the wild west. An expat would be foolish to not have insurance. The article (evidence that the law was not in effect that I posted 4 days ago) states that over 2/3s of Mexican drivers do not have insurance.
Peace of heart